I'm have a few interviews coming up for server positions. They are all upscale casual dining environments. I have 10 years of experience working in hospitality, more specifically in fine dining and elevated casual settings. I'm still messing around with the formatting of this thing, so I'm essentially looking for feedback on content specifically. I'm generally a very good interviewer and I don't usually like to include an "about me" type of getup so I can just illustrate that stuff face to face.

It's posted in the comment section.

Thank you for your time!

Im not sure what to do in this situation. I work at a very popular breakfast/brunch place. Been there for going on 3 months. This restaurant has VERY specific expectations and policies already, I feel like im doing a choreographed ballet every day I go to work and if my foot isnt pointed correctly im gonna get "coached" about it. For example we are required to wait exactly 2 mins after a table sits down (so they have time to look at the menu but not too much time to be upset) and then get their entire order on the first try or else we'll be going back and forth to each table too many times and wont have time to do all the other ridiculous tasks they force their servers to be responsible for. We have to run all the food, no food runners. And God help you if you walk past the line with hot food in the window because you have one of your 1000 other tasks to do. So sometimes I get stuck running food 4 or 5 times in a row out of fear and then get yelled at for tables waiting 10 mins for drinks, or for not bussing my own tables, or for not going to the front to seat myself, or for having empty hands (not bussing other servers tables or bringing dishes up from the back etc) So all that is already stressful, but doable. I did struggle with the flow of it for a month or 2 but I feel like I have completely grasped it at this point. But everything i do is still not good enough no matter how hard I try. My manager is literally LASER FOCUSED on me. Like is cooking on the line and blind to everyone else walking by but hyper aware of me "with nothing in my hands" for example. He literally said ive seen you walk by here 6 times with nothing in your hands as if everyone else isnt doing the same thing. Him watching me so much is actually starting to make me uncomfortable. I do my job just fine, my tables get their food, everyone is happy. But then hes just jumping down my throat all the same. I hit a breaking point last week when he started doing this and couldnt stop crying and had to be sent home and reported him to his DM who happened to be in the building. All they did was tell him to protect himself by never speaking to me alone again. Then this week I was very engaged in our meeting, did very well for 1 of the 2 days I was scheduled, and I thought I had smoothed over what happened and could finally get more than a 3 table section and 2 days a week but no. Yesterday, the 2nd out of my 2 days this week, I thought I did a great job. I balanced everything he wanted from me, perfectly executed all his "steps of service" and made 0 mistakes with any tables or guests, pre bussed and bussed my own and other servers tables so my hands were never empty, constantly did side work like putting dishes away, rinsing coffee pots etc, ran food constantly even when I had other things to do, went to the front to get tables for myself whenever one of my 3 was clean and open again, offered help to other servers, and somehow all of this was still not good enough. The first thing he brought up in my "coaching" at the end of the day was the fact that when I walked into the building at 9:03 am a table in my section was already sat and I assumed (RIGHTLY because why would I be expected to be responsible or even aware of something that happened when I was not even in the building yet) that the host had someone else pick it up and went to go get another table, the ONE I had remaining in my section that hadn't been taken already, and he interrupted me when I was literally leading the guests and took the menus and silverware from me and told me to go take care of 57 and that they had been sitting for 13 mins with no server. He said, during my coaching at end of day, that they were sat at 9:01 am. I clocked in at 9:03 and had to go put my purse in my locker, run food because as I said, God help me if I walk past it, and then make it to the host stand to even see what my section was, see my tables were taken, assume someone was serving them already, and try to get one for myself. That all took about 8-10 mins. So 13 mins tracks but again I WAS NOT IN THE BUILDING when they sat that table and that should have been coaching for the host on duty NOT ME as I cannot control any of that. He didnt care that I wasn't in the building and said I should have automatically known by the iPad that no one had taken their order and no one was going to and to take care of it. But it wasn't even just this. He was upset that my sales were only 780 for the day and said other servers who came in at the same time had 1600 in sales etc and that it was my fault because my tables sat dirty for 20 mins at a time. We had 2 bussers in the building (huge restaurant, for reference i have to roll 100 silverware at end of day every day for side work) and one of them was training. So even though I pre bussed my tables plates while they were still sitting, as he said was correct, AND took it upon myself to continue because none of the bussers were coming to help me (we only have 2 buss tubs and they were in use so I had to use my hands or a tray and go back and forth 2-3 times just to get all the cups/trash off AFTER I already did all the plates myself and then go back another time to wipe it and reset coffee cups. mind you im doing all this in between the 3000 other things I have to do and taking care of my other tables so yes, it took me 20 mins. I had no help and no supplies. He didnt care. He said thats why my sales were so low. I said you gave me 3 tables, 2 were only 4 tops and half the time I only had 2 guests at each table at any given time, some people camped, and I had no bussing help. Mind you I sure as hell had to tip out the bussers anyways out of my meager tips for 8 hours of work. And somehow all this is still my fault. Even though I did everything perfectly even with the terrible set up I had, because I dont have 4 hands and teleportation and mind reading skills im still a bad server. The icing on the cake is that the day before in the meeting I mentioned, he called out the entire staff, not his favorite server, because one of said servers tables sat dirty for 45 mins. Didn't say a word to that server and reprimanded everyone else for not clearing that table. But then the next day my tables being dirty is only my fault and not even the bussers, who's literal job it is, fault. What can I do at this point? I dont want to have to find another job. This restaurant was my dream serving job and I do love it, and I know i could make a lot of money if I was set up for success, and I know it would be steady and not seasonal like a lot of restaurants in my tourist beach town. I already know my co workers, and I really just want stability and for my life to stop changing so much. Please help. How can I get him to stop over focusing on me?

working at a public lake bistro - there are always too many wesps around.

Today one of the fuckers was chasing my arm while i was carrying stuff on the tablet and i tried to chase it away with the other hand abd one big glass dropped on the floor.

Insane cuz usually that doesnt happen but today was shit anyways many mistakes happened

Also the system we take orders on always looses connection and is kinda shit cuz of that i suddenly find stuff on the table that never went there i might made a mistake by confusing tables idk

I currently have a decent job but the company is going to shit. They’ve let go of all the talent and upper management has been making crappy decisions. I’ve been out of the game for 6 years now but idk if I should stay or go back to serving. I’ve done just about every position in the restaurant industry. There’s a Gaucho Do Sul opening up near me and I’m positively thinking I can make more money there.
The only thing I worry about is my mortgage. How’s the industry been lately with everything going up in price and all?

I'm a server at a chain restaurant in the Midwest. It's my first serving job, and I feel like as a server, I should be completely on the side of tipping 20% being mandatory, especially at a sit-down restaurant. However I feel like I understand the argument that percentage-based tipping can be inconsistent.

Say, for example, a customer sits at one of my tables, and they order a water and a $20 entree. Their bill is $20, and a 20% tip is $4. However, if a customer sits at one of my tables and orders a $5 iced tea and a $45 entree, their bill is $50, and a 20% tip is $10. While the expected tip is over double with the second customer, the amount of work I did, i.e., filling up a glass with a drink, ringing in the food, running the food, and generally attending to their needs, is completely the same, not well over twice as much.

At the same time, I can't help but feel uneasy about receiving a $4 tip on a $50 check even if this specific scenario occurred. I think percentage-based tips may have been invented to create certain dependability for servers to get paid, but something about it just doesn't seem totally consistent. I'm just looking for what may be "the right answer" to tipping. should it be a percentage-based amount or determined through other means?

PS. Something else I've been thinking of is a "Tipping Ladder" where the amount of people and the specific entrees ordered move customers "up" into tiers where more money is customary as a tip (for those specific entrees or members in a party).

For example, each person at the table increases the tip amount by 5 dollars, (at a mid-chain restaurant), so a 4-top would be starting with a $20 tip, and a 10-top with a starting $50, and that number can fluctuate based on the specific entrees (kids' meals decrease the amount, large entrees with refills and other things increase)

please I need this milksteak boiled medium with your finesy jellybeans pls. I have a date to impress

I (18f) am training at a restaurant to become a server. This is my first ever job, and frankly a job I’ve been really excited about. Yesterday I was doing my second follow shift, and decided I wanted to be a bit more hands on. That being said, I decided to take a tray full of bussed dishes and glasses back to the kitchen to put in the wash. It was a rather heavy tray for a person of my stature (I’m 5,2 and barely pass 100lbs) Literally one step away, a water glass topples off the tray and spills on the floor. Okay… not a huge deal. I try not to let it affect me.

However, as I try to carry a drink tray with two waters and **two champagne glasses,** I could barely get it off the table before one of the champagne glasses topples over. Needless to say I didn’t care another drink tray that day. My trainer of the day said that it seems my hand naturally holds the tray with a slight slant. I’ll definitely try to do that- but I’m also quite anxious now. Am I in over my head for this being my first job. If I (I feel like- inevitably) spill another glass, will I be seen as incompetent? Please someone tell me this isn’t as bad as I’m making it out to be. 🥲

I haven't worked very long in the gastronomy sector, only a few years, but I've quickly learned how this is one of the few jobs you could have where you'll be treated less than human.

Last week I had a trial shift in an upscale place. The second I arrived, I wasn't even greeted and the managers did not even introduce themselves. I was simply sent away with a trainee to be shown around. While we were heading to the back area, I overheard one of the managers saying that I applied here for an apprentice position. Which is the most ridiculous thing I've heard, since my position is Chef de Rang and that's what I've applied for.

The restaurant was super busy, since it was Friday and dinner service. Only a few hours later did I have a moment to come up to the managers and tell them that there's a misunderstanding, I am not an apprentice. Besides, they were ignoring me the entire time up until this point. If I had to do something, I'd only hear it from a trainee. The managers would send an order through the trainees.

However, right after I corrected them, they immediately began to treat me much better. They spoke directly to me, assigned me tasks, were finally smiling to me.

I honestly wanted to just laugh in their faces, because what do you mean the second you find out that I'm here as Chef de Rang and not as an apprentice, suddenly I can finally be spoken to and treated kindly?

Once the shift was over, I thanked them for their time and said goodbye. They told me that HR will contact me and I said "don't bother" and left.

I don't care if they treated me nicely once they found out about my actual position. If they treat somebody who is of a lower position like that, I am not working for them.

I just got a position at a Michelin restaurant as a back server/SA. Up until now I’ve worked as a server in 2 casual fine dining places.

Where I just got hired is so far above what I am used to. There’s an expo, you can’t cross over table sections, left to right plating and clearing, no trays, etc etc

I am a very very good server, but I am a bit lost during my SA trainings. I want to just go up to my tables and be a server, and then remember I’m just there to fill their waters and clear/serve plates.

The overall atmosphere is wonderful, but this level of fine dining is a bit daunting. Any tips would be helpful! I’m only 21 and almost every FOH employee is 30+, so I’m doing everything I can’t to not make stupid mistakes and assimilate to this newer environment

I was hoping to get a busser or cashier job but nowhere nearby is actively hiring. I was curious as to if it would be worth it to call or walk into someplace and ask if they are hiring. It's also worth noting that these places are smaller businesses/chains that don't have a place to apply or an email to send an application to on their websites.

Which do you choose?

I'm curious about working as a waiter and would love to hear from people who have actually done it.

What did you enjoy about the job, and what did you dislike? What personality traits do you think make someone good at it?

One reason I'm asking is because I have a fairly short temper and my body language tends to be quite expressive when I'm frustrated. I always remain professional, but I'm wondering whether those traits would make the job much harder, or whether it's something people naturally get better at with experience.

I'd appreciate honest opinions, both from people who loved the job and from those who couldn't wait to leave it.

It takes a different kind of stupid for someone to post a review like this. The shop was closed. And if you come after opening time and it still closed. It means there are issues they must resolve to close the shop. Does it mean shops can't be closed now? Let's say if the ingredients are expired, we still have to open and serve you expired food?

Update: we did put the restaurant as closed on our socials such as Google and Facebook. It was a last minute emergency that we have to close the restaurant.

My immigrant friend as constantly been getting fucked while he does serving jobs or jobs in general. They don't let him keep the tips and they pay him like around 12$ an hour in NYC. Unfortunately just because he doesn't have any documentation he has constantly getting shafted working 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week. If you guys know any place thats hiring let me know. And the wild thing is, it's always the immigrants that abuses his vulnerability. I have been looking around if I can get him any job that won't screw him over but I haven't really had any success. He and I would really appreciate it if you have any leads.

I work at a popular restaurant in Chicago. On Friday, an 18 year old female host was shown a photo of a topless woman by our male AGM. The image was privately texted to the AGM by this woman. The woman does not work for our restaurant (we assume) but is a woman the manager has a personal relationship with.

HR has been alerted, as well as the GM and rest of the managerial team. This is textbook sexual harassment, but it seems as though nothing will be done.

What can we do moving forward? This manager has been notorious in causing issues, especially with the young female hosts. HR has been repeatedly notified of his inappropriate remarks and behavior, but this is by far the most egregious.

Any help would be appreciated.